The Future of Stereolithography

What innovations is SLA printing providing and how is this production technology already being integrated.

Stereolithography (SLA) is a method in which a liquid polymer or resin is cured with UV light until it hardens, creating a three-dimensional figure. They were shelved because they could not find a method to commercialize them, nor were they patented. Charles Hull, the creator of 3D Systems, a renowned global 3D printing company, did not patent the SLA technology until 1986.

March 31, 2022

SLA Printing in the media

Due to media interest in the 2000s, the first kidney was printed, and the Open Source Rep-Rap project was born, where you make your own 3D printer and produce it using another 3D printer, no matter how weird it seems (And using some hardware parts like rods). In 2008, a prosthesis was printed, and the Internet shone a harsh light on this technology.

Food printers, the first car, and a craniofacial surgery jaw were all advances in the 2010s. As Obama said in his "State of the Union" speech, faster and cheaper printers began to come to market (as a result of Moore's Law). A family moves into the first 3D printed house after the first bone is made. 3D printing in metals and sophisticated materials, such as polypropylene with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT), has also been explored to create materials with improved mechanical, chemical and thermal properties.

The future is focused on ecology

Based on the progress made in recent years, we can predict how this technology will develop over the next decade. Following are some of the areas where we expect progress to accelerate:

Integration of a new production technology

In summary, we can expect strong integration of 3D printing into production lines and additional materials, cheaper prices and higher speeds. Printers that are smarter and easier to operate. 

Imagine walking into your closet and seeing a 3D printer producing clothes and shoes. Your phone knows your body's measurements with micrometric accuracy thanks to its powerful cameras and 3D scanning technology, and it can even predict how your body will change over the course of December thanks to its amazing cameras and 3D scanning technology. Clothing that fits well and is recyclable.

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